Floor waxing and polishing device



June 14, 1949. J. GORDON 2,472,895

FLOOR WAXING AND POLISHING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l fizuenz ar'x kJC ZWZQJ Gard 072 June 14, 1949. J. GORDON 2,472,895

FLOOR WAXING AND POLISHING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QWF x A \jzzmes Gard 072,

Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOOR WAXING AND POLISHING DEVICE James Gordon, Chicago, Ill. Application April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,556

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a floor waxing and polishing device more particularly for home-use Ior waxing and polishing floors. I

The invention aims to provide, among other objects, a markedly light-weight portable device for this purpose of simple and inexpensive construction which may be manually operated without the need for any other power means and with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator by merely propelling the device over the floor much in the manner of an old-fashioned carpet sweeper, While, simultaneously, the device continues to deliver wax to the polishing member and the latter continues to polish the floor employing the wax so delivered to it.

In the present preferred form of the device of the present invention, a rotary brush is caused both to apply the wax and dothe polishing at the same time, while the means for mobilizing the device also constitutes the means for rotating the rotary brush both to cause the wax to be delivered to the brush and to cause the brush to deliver the wax to the floor.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device here specifically shown, the cover and frame thereof being broken away for clearness of description and to disclose the inner parts, and the handle also being broken away to save space;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the device of Figure 1, an alternative position of a part being shown in broken lines;

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, an alternative position of other parts being shown in broken lines;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing one end of the device; and

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the same end of the device shown in cross-section in Figure 4, but looking in the opposite direction.

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in the drawings, the numeral l indicates a frame for the device which is of somewhat inverted U-shape, having a top I I and dependingside walls l2 and I3, the latter serving as hearing members for the axles of the rotary elements of the device.

At the rear end of the frame, is an axle H for a pair of wheels l and I6, at each end of the axle, each of which may have a hub member I! keyed to turn with the axle that rotation of one of the wheels causes rotation of the other. In front of the axle I 4 and spaced therefrom toward the other end of the frame I0 is another axle 19 upon which is keyed a pair of wheels 20 and 2| as by a hub 22 for each with a set screw 23. These wheels may have rubber tires Ila. The axle l9 also has fixed thereon to rotate therewith, as by being held thereto by the wheels 20 and 2|, a roller 24 having a fabric covering 25 or the like thereon in the form of a canvas hose or sleeve, for a purpose presently pointed out.

Still further'forward of the axle l9 and adjacent the front edge of the frame ID, on the inner face of each of the walls l2 and I3 respectively, is a depending swinging link 26 and 21, each of which maybe swingingly secured to the frame as by a rivet 28 permitting sufficient play for the links so that they may be swung forwardly and upwardly'from the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, for example, to the position shown in broken lines in this figure. Adjacent the free ends of the links 26 and 21 is journaled the axle 29 of a rotary brush member 30 having the usual radially extending bristles 3| similar to the rotary brush of an old-fashioned carpet sweeper, the bristles being secured in the usual cylindrical body 32 of the roller brush. As is usual in this construction, the cylinder 32 may be of wood and may have an end continuation 33 reduced in diameter into each end of which is inserted by a rotary fit on the axis of the cylinder, the metal bearing members 34 (Fig. 5), which together constitute the axle 29 for the rotary brush. Each of these links, such as at 35 at each side of the device, may have connected therewith, one end of an expansion coil spring 36, the other end of which is anchored as at 31 to the frame walls I2 and I3 respectively. The springs 36 resili ently retract the links and with them the rotary brush 39, when the latter is carried by the links, to a position to cause the rotary brush to contact by its bristles the canvas covering 25 of the roller 24. At. this time, the axle 29 of the rotary brush is in a notch 38 in the front edge of the walls l2 and I3 respectively, thus limiting retracted movement of the rotary brush to a position such as to just bring it into contact with the roller 24.

On the reduced extension 33 of the rotary brush cylinder 32, at each end, is integrally formed a driven element such as a disc 39 for driving the rotary brush-by friction contact. of the disc 39 with a driving element such as the periphery, and in this instance, the rubber tire periphery by a set screw I8, so

lla of the front wheels and 21 of the device. When it is desired to remove or replace the rotary brush, as for cleaning or repair, it may be swung forwardly away from the floor against the pull of the expansion springs 36, and the links 26 and 21 spread apart slightly to release the bearing pins 34 of links 26 and 21 from engagement with the roller. Similarly, to replace the brush, the bearingpins; 34 maybe so engaged, in the sockets 4| in the roller for this purpose and the springs 36 will retract the brush into position.

Turning now to the wax-supply means, there is here shown pivoted on the rear axle 14, as by pivot brackets 42 and 43, a carrier means in the form of a box-like casing 44 which extends the greater part of the distance between the wheels l5 and I6 and has an open which may be slid an elongated flat cake of solidified;v Waxn46. At its inner end adjacentiits pivot A points the casing may have running lengthwise thereof, a presser bar 41 which is conveniently of. channel formation and-receiving a plurality of compression-coil springs 48 which abut at one end against the; closedproximal wall 49 of the casing and attheir otherend, against the presser bar 41-to urge the cake'of wax 46 outwardly throughithe opendistal end 4510f the casing. and toqcause-the presser-bar. to follow the cake as it is-consumed.

Asrbestlseenpin Figure 3, thecake of wax may be inserted when the casing 44 is swung downwardly;and with the wax cake pressed inwardly toccompress the coil-spring; 48; the casing is then swung upwardly. into operative position in-which the1--o11ter edge of the. wax cake is in frictional contact'with the canvas'covered roller'24; The spring clips Elli near the walls l2 and I3 respectively; releasably hold the casing 44 in this operative position;

As best seen: in Figure 4, these spring clips may be mounted Onthempri'ght'arms 5| 'ofa U-shape abutmentt52', the.upper"ends of which armsil, are turned. outward horizontally as. at 53 and suitably 'securedtto the upper wall I I? of the frame I0: Each clip itself is riveted as at 54 to an arm" S'IJanddepends belowthe abutment 52, where the clip* has an inwardl' directed shoulder.- 55

distal end 45 into.

l2 and 13 respectively, and to which the housing may be here secured by screws 66. Adjacent the pintle Bl, the housing wall may be projected as at B1 to prevent interference with this pintle. Elsewhere, the periphery of the housing as at 68 is advantageously stream-lined about the frame and its associated axles, wheels, rollers, wax casing, and the like.

It will now be. understood from the foregoing description'that the operator, having seen to it that there is a cake of wax in the casing 44 and the latter in operative position, then needs only topropel the-device, by means of the handle 51, along a floor to be waxed and polished, whereuponthe rotary brush 30 will be rotated and willpicku-p wax from the canvas covered roller 24 which in turn receives the wax and is loaded therewith by frictional engagement with the cake of wax 46, the edge of which extends throughout the-.leng'th-lofthe roller, 24, the latter thus acting as a; transfer roller. At the same time, the rotary brush 30-is in brushing engagement with the floor 40,130 which it applies wax and polishes it.

The-wheels- I5, [6 and; 20, 2| may constitute mobilizingmeans for the frame I I.

The invention is not intended to be limited to detailssof construction shown for purposes of exemplification and. it is to be understood that suchchanges may be made as fall within the scope of. theapp ended claims without departing fromwthe-invention.

The invention having been described, what is here claimed is:

1. Ina-:floor waxing;and,polishing:device, the combination comprising a frame, a'pair of wheels for theframe: adapted to contact the floor, a rollerearried by the wheels, a rotary brush axled in the-frame'in brushing contact with said roller andadapted also to'contact the floor, ardriven element. on: the brushaaxle, a driving element on the wheels axle in engagement with the driven eiementito drive-the brush, carrier means pivoting on: and: supported by the; frame for receiving a bar of*waX-,.the-dista1.end of said carrier means being; adapted; to swing into proximity with said roller, a spring carried by thecarriermeans and adapted ftoiirge thebar-of wax through thedistal and-below: this has an outwardly turned angled extremity 5B. When the. wax holding: casing 44 issprung into operative position; the surface; 56 acts: as a camto: force: the" clips momentarily away from the arms'5l so that the casing 44 canzmove into abutmentzwith the-partSiZ-which thusacts as a stop: therefor against further up.- ward'movement of:the=casing; while at the same time the casing rests on the clip shoulders 55 upon=the clips-springingback into holding position.

The usual handle 51' is' provided for the device, the upper part of which extends saywaist-high and may be of wood and secured, as-by.-a setscrew'58', in the handle socket 59. The. socket 59 of elbow formation and is pivoted as. at. 60

on'- a pintle 61 which spans the walls l2 and I3 of'the framel0: A slot 62 elongated in a direction front to rearof the device permits the handle to play therein as it is pivoted to'bring it tola suitable-angle for convenienceof theaoperator in propelling: the device across ether floor:

The device desirably has an. ornamental; cover housing 63,, through: which another elongated slot: 6.4: passes the handle'therethrough. Atthe sidesxofuthecdevioe; thehousingmay be indented as at 65 to locally lappingly abut the frame walls end. of the carrier; meansyinto contact with the roller, aadetentacarriedby the frame for retaining thecarriermeans inthe last mentioned position, and a handle attached to the frame.

zrlnwa floor waxing andpolishing device, the combination comprising a frame, a pair ofwheels for the frame adapted to contact the floor, a roller: carriedbythe-wheels, arotary brush axled in the frame;- inbrushing contact with the roller and adapted also -tocontact the floor, discs on the brush axle in; frictional engagement with the wheels to drive the; brush, a casing pivotingon and supported by the frame for receivingabar ofwax; the distaliend-of saidcasingbeing adapted toswing: from a. position; below the frame into proximity with;saidrroller, casingsupported resilient means for; urging the bar of wax into contact. with. the: roller; releasable locking means carriedbyi the frame for. retaining the casing in they lastmentioned position; and a handle attachedto the; frame.

3..In;. a floon waxing and polishing device, the combination of a mobile framehan axle jour- -naled intheframe, a pair ofwheelsfor theframe frame in brushing contact with said transfer roller and adapted to contact the floor, a pair of discs keyed on the brush axle and engaging the wheels respectively to rotate the brush as the wheels rotate in movement of the frame over the floor, and wax supply means carried by the frame in wax delivery relation to said transfer roller.

4. In a floor waxing and polishing device, the combination comprising a frame, a pair of wheels for the frame adapted to contact the floor, a wax transfer roller keyed to rotate with the wheels, a rotary applicator axled in the frame in brushing contact with said transfer roller and adapted also to contact the floor, a driven disc on the applicator axle in engagement with one of said wheels to drive the applicator, and wax supply means carried by the frame in wax delivery relation to said transfer roller.

5. In a floor waxing and polishing device, the combination of a mobile frame, an axle journ-aled in the frame, a pair of wheels for the frame keyed to said axle and adapted to support the frame on the floor, a wax transfer roller car- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,202,862 Lueder Oct. 31, 1916 1,417,768 Radimak May 30, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,776 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1892 

